A United States congressman dedicated to fighting harmful anti-immigrantlegislation has introduced a bill to change a decades-old federal law so that “exemplary” illegal aliens can obtain American citizenship.California Democrat Joe Baca actually wants to amend the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act so that underage illegal immigrants can become U.S. citizens. To qualify they must somehow prove that they are “exemplary” by providing academic transcripts, demonstrating an understanding of United States history, government and civics and proving that they are of good moral character.Like most open borders advocates, Baca, who represents Southern California’s San Bernardino County in the U.S. House, claims it’s a way of helping innocent young people brought to America by no choice of their own as children. It’s simply wrong to have policies that “unfairly punish” them, Baca proclaims in a press releaseannouncing his bill this week.The measure is called People Resolved to Obtain Understanding of Democracy (PROUD) Act and it was also introduced in the previous congress as part of a larger immigration reform bill. It got more than 100 cosponsors but failed to make it past the House Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law. With Republicans in control of the House, the PROUD Act probably won’t survive but Baca is determined to help illegal aliens.Under his measure, illegal immigrants who complete grades 6 through 12 in a U.S.school can forgo the current naturalization exam to obtain citizenship. They must provide proof of “essential civic knowledge” and be in “good moral standing within the community.” This will motivate all students to “do their best and stay out of trouble,” Baca assures. It will also put our most responsible and successful immigrant students on a “streamlined path for citizenship.”After all, the congressman reminds us that America is the land of opportunity and we are blessed to live in a nation where people of diverse backgrounds can come together as one. His legislation will increase the number of high-skilled, citizen workers which will boost economic recovery by creating additional tax revenue. How can you beat that?Not surprisingly, Baca has a long history of opposing measures to curb illegal immigration. He voted against the U.S.-Mexico border fence, a bill requiring hospitals to report illegal immigrants before getting reimbursed by the government to treat them and a law that extends illegal immigrants’ stay in the U.S. while pursuing residency.